The Japanese Ministry of Economy and Industry (METI) has awarded funding to a consortium for quantum research at the University of Tokyo. 4.2 billion yen (28.3 million euros) are to be paid out over a period of five years, reports the Japanese business newspaper Nikkei Asia. The research group is currently using an IBM quantum computer with a computing power of 27 qubits. An upgrade to a 127-qubit computer is to follow in the fall – the costs of which should then be covered by the subsidy.
In 2019, the University of Tokyo with IBM formed a partnership in quantum research. In that Konsortium named QII there is not only a group of researchers, but also 17 Japanese companies, such as the car manufacturers Mitsubishi and Toyota. Meanwhile, the Riken Center Quantum Computing (RCQ), a research institute in the city of Wako, south of Tokyo, is running a 64-qubit quantum computer — which it made publicly available as a cloud computer at the end of March.
Catching up: Quantum technology as an economic opportunity
‘The lost 30 years’ is a phrase often repeated in the Japanese tech industry. He points to Japan’s GDP growth, which has stagnated since 1990 – and the missed opportunities to take advantage of technical innovations such as the Internet. That is why the Japanese government is currently pursuing ambitious plans in quantum technology. The domestic semiconductor industry is also being promoted: Japan is building a 2-nanometer chip production facility.
Using cloud computing, the participants of the consortium share the quantum computer. Japan’s public broadcaster NHK writes, The aim of the subsidy is to reduce costs. This should enable more companies, including start-ups, to use quantum technology for themselves.
(weave)
